


Too Soon

by hermitpanda



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 11:26:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10535514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermitpanda/pseuds/hermitpanda
Summary: Even with her brother’s choice of career, she had never imagined that he would pass away in the prime of his life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or the characters. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

Funny how the good ones go

Too soon, but the good lord knows

The reasons why I guess

Sometimes the greater plan is kinda hard to understand

Right now it don't make sense

I can't make it all make sense

\- from “Drink a Beer” performed by Luke Bryan, written by Jim Beavers & Chris Stapleton

~*~

She sank down to her knees in front of the headstone. The cemetery groundskeepers had already covered the dirt with fresh sod. She ignored the moisture rapidly soaking through her jeans. Trembling fingers traced the freshly carved name. Even with her brother’s choice of career, she had never imagined that he would pass away in the prime of his life.

Swallowing futilely against the lump that had taken up residence in her throat over the past week. She pressed her palm flat against the stone and ducked her head, letting her hair swing forward to curtain her face, hiding her tears. “Derek…” She allowed her sobs to crumple her body to lean against the cool granite.

She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she was able to pull herself upright again. She sat back on her heels wiping tears away from her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I can’t believe you’re gone. I just talked to you on the phone a week ago. We were talking about Mom’s birthday present.” She sniffled and swiped her hand underneath her nose. 

“I love you. I always will. You left a hole in my life that I’ll never be able to fill. No one will ever be able to ease the pain of losing my brother. I’m so damned mad at you for leaving us. Who’s going to walk me down the aisle now? Who’s going to be the world’s best uncle to my future kids? Who’s going to be my shoulder to cry on now?” She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked slightly.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t call you enough. I’m sorry I missed your call when you called on my birthday. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to be there at the end.” She shook her head trying to rid herself of the guilt for not joining her mother and sister in Derek’s hospital room when the doctors had removed him from the life support keeping his body alive. She wanted to remember her brother laughing and strong, not unconscious and weak in a hospital bed. 

A gentle breeze tousled her curls and she closed her eyes. She could almost imagine that her brother was there wrapping his arms around her, soothing her broken heart back into one piece. “Give Daddy a hug and kiss from me. Behave yourself till I see you again.” 

She pressed a kiss to her fingers and touched them to his name before standing up. “I love you,” she whispered before turning and walking away from the marker representing her brother’s life.


End file.
